Facilitation Tutor eLearning Core Skills Program

At the end of the ten lessons that form the Facilitation Tutor Core Skills course, there is a test consisting of 30 multiple choice questions. Everyone who correctly answers 80% of the questions correctly will receive a certificate of completion. While learners can certainly mention that they have completed courses in their resume, these mentions do not attest that any specific level of competency has been attained, so they have a rather limited value. In addition, groups that conduct the one-day post eLearning workshop can also award participants with a certificate of completion.

Certificates of Completion

Group administrators wishing to provide certificates to those who have completed the course can download a pre-signed certificate.

Advanced Facilitation Certification Levels

Facilitators who have successfully completed the Facilitation Cores Skills e-Learning Program may wish to pursue additional certification. Below is a brief summary of the certification options available.

Professional Designation

The top designation in the field is granted by the International Association of Facilitators (IAF). This body conducts a review process that leads to the designation of Certified Professional Facilitator (CPF).

Experienced practitioners, who wish to be reviewed by a panel of certified facilitators, can pursue the Certified Professional Facilitator designation (CPF) managed by the International Association of Facilitators (IAF). This certification is recognized as an industry standard for those wishing to pursue a career as a facilitator or who wish to emphasis this important skill on their resume. CPF certification testing is conducted by the IAF at sites around the world.

The CPF process has the following requirements: Applicants must have at least 10 years experience as a group facilitator. Each applicant is asked to submit a paper describing six recent facilitation activities that they designed and lead. Each facilitation case study example must be accompanied by a signed letter from each of the clients mentioned. The applicant then arranges to attend a two-day assessment meeting in one of the cities posted on the IAF website. At the event, each applicant facilitates a complex discussion with a group of their fellow applicants while a review panel observes. After a lengthy interview, the panel decides whether or not to grant the CPF designation. The cost of the process is about $1,500.00 plus travel costs.

Validated Facilitation Competency Assessment

Since the CPF process described above is accessible only to full-time professionals, a secondary certification process was created by the Pfeiffer Company, a leader in the development of tests and instruments. In 2009 they asked Ingrid Bens to create a reliable test to assess facilitator competency. The result was the Facilitation Skills Inventory (FSI).

The FSI is a test of 20 observable skills that must be mastered by all group facilitators. To be assessed one need only find a facilitator colleague who is willing to observe the applicant lead a group meeting of at least one hour’s length. After the meeting the observer completes the inventory and offers specific feedback during a post-observation coaching session.

The FSI criteria yields results that show a facilitator to be at one of three levels:
Developing, Accomplished or Advanced. Because the FSI test was developed over three years with rigorous validation by a panel of certified professionals, these test results can be cited in resumes.The FSI is the only validated test in existence. Since the FSI was developed by Ingrid Bens, the author of the Facilitation Skills Online Course, all of the skills are consistent.

Each assessment activity requires the purchase of one Observer Guide and one Participant guide.

To purchase the books, click here and look for the Facilitation Skills Inventory.